


Something Entirely New

by MelanyTheMelon



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Cross-Posted on Quotev, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/F, Fantasy, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Male Character, LGBTQ Themes, Pearl x Reader, Reader Is Female / Reader Uses Female Pronouns, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2018-12-25 19:05:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12042294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelanyTheMelon/pseuds/MelanyTheMelon
Summary: The wind blew,The seagulls sang,You ran after your hat, after it flew.As you ran, you encountered sand,And a graceful woman you spotted.She was dancing firmly, in such a difficult land.You were enchanted, and your body closer drew.Thinking it would be a simple hello, you didn't pay it any mind.What you didn't knew, was that you were about to discover something entirely new.(This is a short Pearl x Reader taking place after the arrival of Smokey Quartz.)(This story can also be found on Wattpad and Quotev. If you see this on any other sites, do inform me about the matter!)





	1. Your Arrival

Your daydreaming was interrupted by the boat's horn, signaling it had finally reached land. You looked up at the sky, completely mesmerized with the Sun's beauty. The sky possessed a faint, tangerine light, and you could see a few stars starting to make their appearance. It was far too beautiful in your eyes, and you couldn't believe you were to spend five days in such a beautiful place as this.

Beach City was one of the calmest, yet beautiful places you had discovered. It possessed some of the most open-minded citizens, as well. Unlike your hometown, this area was in positive terms with people like you. It was accepting of everyone's differences, and you hoped to find some good acquaintances before you took your leave. You wanted to start over; you wanted and yearned for something entirely new.

Your feet touched the surface of the wooden plank of the border. You had finally arrived on the land you most wished to visit during your free time. The bags under your arms were barely much weight for you-- You were focusing more on what you would do as soon as you arrived to your destination. It was an overwhelming experience, and you were beginning to feel like a child again.

From afar you could see the hotel you had separated a room from. It seemed humble, and welcoming of each and every one. The simplistic, yet captivating beauty of Beach City and its buildings made you happy, and you were looking to enjoy each day to its fullest.

"Good evening, ma'am!" the young, tanned man at the counter welcomed, as soon as you stepped foot into the building. "Are you looking to separate a room, or are you here to see someone?" he questioned, as he offered you a bright smile.

"Good evening!" you greeted, your tone soft, yet happy. "I had already separated a room through your online services. And I have the papers here in my bag." you explained, as you rummaged through your bag.

It took you a lot of searching and worry, but soon enough, you were able to find your documents. They were at the very bottom of the bag, and they'd become shriveled due to it. You, rather embarrassed, folded them as neatly as possible, in an attempt to remove some of its wrinkles.

"Please excuse the presentation. . . The boat ride was a bit tedious to deal with." you explained to the young man, as you felt your cheeks heat up.

"It's alright, ma'am! Just hand over the papers, and I'll go through the procedures." he assured you, as he gave you another smile in encouragement.

It was a rather fast and unexpected procedure. All he had to do was read the documents, and type the vital information on his computer. After a couple of seconds, your check-in was confirmed. You now found yourself on a beautiful hotel with an amazing view of the beach.

The room you had reserved was small, yet comfortable. It had a pair of windows with bamboo binds, along with an auburn wallpaper. The floor was covered with a fuzzy carpet, and it gave a satisfying sensation each time you took some steps. You admittedly enjoyed the simplicity of the room. Seeing so little things, apart from the bed and a desk, made you feel refreshed. The room seemed clean and comforting in your eyes.

As you stared outside the window on your left, you couldn't help but desire to go outside before ten o'clock reached the watch on your wrist. You wanted to explore the place, and you knew you weren't getting some sleep anytime soon. Deciding to head outside, you took off your sunhat, which you had worn ever since you woke up. Seeing your hair, however, you instantly placed it back on.

Your hair looked like a mess-- It looked as if birds had decided to make a nest on your head. You quickly accommodated it back to its original state, feeling rather shameful you had worn this all day. Your clothes looked decent, at least. Hence, why you rapidly put on your shoes, and headed back outside. You were off to yet another adventure.

 

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

 

You stood seated on the sandy floor, while appreciating the salty air that hit your face. Sitting by the border of the beach always calmed you, and you appreciated the music the waves and lost seagulls created. It was a relaxing way of spending your time, yet it was soon interrupted by a strong gust of wind.

"Ack!" you exclaimed, as a large amount of hair hit you in your face.

Once recovering, you could see your hat flying away with the wind. You, curious and determined to get your sunhat back, got up from the sandy floor. Your half-enclosed shoes were filled with sand, and you could feel it tickling your toes.

You chased after the hat, completely dismissing your unkempt hair. The sunhat continued to soar deeper into the borders of the beach, and you were beginning to appreciate the run. Your feet disliked running, yet your heart adored adventuring. As you continued to run, your steps were suddenly put to a stop.

From slightly afar, you could see a pale, slender woman capture the hat with ease. She then gave a twirl, and stood firm on the sandy floor. The woman barely budged-- even with such an unstable environment, and she soon began to look for the sunhat's owner.

You were usually the one to flee from these types of encounters, yet you found yourself drawn by the woman. Soon enough, she spotted your approaching figure, and gave you a rather reserved wave with her free hand. The other was delicately holding onto the hat, and you were amazed that it hadn't flown away from her grasp.

"Hello there!" the rather tall woman greeted, once having walked closer to your hesitant, yet mesmerized stance. "Does this belong to you, ma'am?" she questioned, as she faced your awe-struck eyes.

"Uh. . . Y- Yes! Yes, that's my sunhat." you responded, feeling your cheeks heat up, once again. "It flew away, while I was looking at the ocean."

The woman was, simply put, a beauty. Her finely groomed, copper hair, her azure eyes, and her lovely attire complemented her perfectly. All of her made you stand still and quiet, unable to comprehend that such a beautiful woman was simply conversing here with you. She had captured your heart instantly, something which was a dangerous fault of yours. You fell in love too easily, which almost never resulted well for you.

"I see. . ." the woman mumbled, in a rather thoughtful tone.

The woman was inspecting your face, and that's when realization hit you harder than a tidal wave. You remembered your hair's condition, which made you take a few steps back, and to awkwardly pass your hands through your unkempt locks.

"Uh. . . Thank you for finding my sunhat." you spoke, as you tried to make her stop her observation. "I- It's getting late, so I-"

"Is this hair of yours. . . natural?" she suddenly questioned, as she took hold of some of the dark blue streaks of your hair.

Such an action made your heart race, and you were trying your best to not turn into a tomato. Her delicate fingers were curiously twirling your disheveled locks, and her tone signaled she was being serious with her question. You, rather taken about by such a strange question, gave her a smile, and proceeded to explain.

"Every strand of it except for the blue streaks." you explained to her. "Those were made with dye at a hair salon from where I used to live."

"These colorful locks were created with ink, then?" she questioned, as she now gazed at your streaks in both curiosity and enchantment.

"Yes." you responded, as you gave her a warm smile.

Her rather curious questions had captured your heart. The woman seemed strange, but in a positive way. She seemed as if she were a foreigner, and the shiny, white pearl resting on her forehead added to your many diverse assumptions. You, however, decided to end your small encounter here, and to go back your hotel. As much as this woman had captivated your heart, you knew it wouldn't do you well to get closer to her. It wouldn't do well to get too attached to someone. Hence, why you prepared to say your goodbyes.

"Well, it's a little late, so. . . Good night, ma'am." you began as you offered your hand for her to shake. "It was nice talking with you."

"Oh! Goodnight, then." the woman spoke, as she took your hand in hers. "Pardon for delaying you. . . I was rather intrigued with your hair." she then added, as if that was something normal for her to say.

"It's fine. I- I really don't mind having some company every once in a while." you shrugged off, as you tried your best to ignore the warm feeling her touch had given to your hand.

With those last words, you prepared to take a leave. You turned around, and ventured back to your hotel. As you were a few steps away, however, her hesitant, yet determined voice put you to a sudden stop.

"Ma'am, pardon me for interrupting you again, but. . . I would like to know your name!" she softly called, as you turned your body around to meet with her figure.

She was standing by afar, with her hands firmly clasped together. Her eyes seem to hold something strange in them, and you were rather unsure as to what this meant. It seemed as if she had something important resting on her head. Hence, why you decided to head back towards her.

"Uh, my. . . My name's __________." you responded to her, as you offered her a rather shy smile.

"My name would be Pearl." she spoke, her voice quieter than before. She seemed rather embarrassed with what she had just made the two of you do. "It's nice make your acquaintance, miss __________."

After such an awkward introduction, the two of you said your goodbyes. This time, you both took your leave. You went to the left, whereas she went to the right. The two of you were off back to your homes, feeling rather strange after such an odd encounter.


	2. Her Encounter

Pearl watched as you walked away towards the hotel. She had an uneasy feeling, hence why she waited until you entered the building. Once you did, a soft smile took over her features, and she found herself wishing to meet you the next day. You'd taken her interest in a rather strange way. It was as if she knew you right from the beginning-- as if she had known you her entire few hundred years of living. Not even the second world war had given her such a strong déjà vù as this one.

She then glanced at the moon, and realized it was time for her to return to her home, as well. It was time for her to continue on to the next day, with a bit of hope that she would meet again with you. She hadn't been satisfied with the conversation you had exchanged, for she wanted to talk longer; she wanted to resolve the questions and assumptions that were resting on her head.

Finally, after much walking past the border of the beach, she encountered her home, where a familiar Gem was standing in wait. Garnet, the built, afro-haired woman who she had fought together with for many centuries past, was waiting for her next to the closed door. She carried a small, yet satisfied smirk visible on her typically stern features, which piqued at her curiosity-- she couldn't help but wonder just what was going through Garnet's mind. That smirk of hers was rather rare to make its appearance.

"Did you have fun?" Garnet suddenly questioned to her, making Pearl look towards her in surprise.

"I. . . I suppose so." Pearl replied, feeling strange with such a sudden questioning.

She'd only gone to the far end of the beach to practice her dancing, and she hadn't expected her friend to be interested in such matters. The way she'd made the question signaled something different as well.

Now, she carried even more questions seeking for answers in her mind. She wanted to know the real meaning of her friend's words.

"Hey, P!" Amethyst, her shorter, chubbier Gem friend exclaimed, once she burst through the door where the two stood close by it.

The shorter Gem was resting her body on the door's frame, and she seemed to carry a rather cheeky smile on her purple-tinted face. She seemed to carry the same vibe as Garnet, though she wasn't hiding it as much as her. Her face held nothing back, and if it weren't for Garnet placing a finger over her own lips, she would've said everything she had in her mind.

"Had fun?" Amethyst questioned, as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Yes. . . I figure I did have a pleasant time." Pearl replied to her curious friend, as she raised an eyebrow at both the Gems' behavior tonight. "I was able to practice my fusion dance quite efficiently."

"Aaaaand?" Amethyst pressed, wanting for her tall friend to tell more about her eventful day.

"Well, that's about it." she replied, as she placed a hand on the back of her neck. "Nothing much happened after that. . ."

"You sure you didn't meet a certain, blue strea-" Amethyst was interrupted by Garnet picking her up in the air.

"We should get inside." Garnet advised, with her face as stern as ever. "It's getting late."

"Aw, Garnet! We were just starting to have fun!" Amethyst protested, in a rather playful tone.

She had hoped to get more words out of Pearl, and was somewhat annoyed after having gotten interrupted. All she could do now was wait until tomorrow, and see where the day will carry all three of them. Garnet quickly made an entrance to their home, while still carrying Amethyst in her hands, and leaving Pearl alone with her thoughts-- plus the distant sound of the waves the ocean created.

 

 **~** **~ ~ ~ ~**

 

An hour had passed, and the clock had finally reached midnight. Pearl, however, was still pondering over her thoughts. She hadn't been able to take any proper rest, now that so much was going through her head. The slender Gem was troubling over her thoughts, and she wanted to sort them out as soon as possible. She wanted to give her mind a rest, yet her heart wished to experience something entirely new.

Quietly, she exited the home, as she went down the stairs, and headed to the close border of the beach next to it. She walked slowly and in silence, staring at the now tranquil ocean. Deciding she wouldn't be obtaining any proper rest, she stood still, and prepared to practice her fusion dance.

"Here goes nothing. . ." she whispered, as she closed her eyes, and got on her tip toes.

She gracefully lifted one leg high in the sky, and gave a small twirl. The sand was barely a challenge to her, now that she had practiced countless times. Then, she gave a small jump, and a more rapid twirl. The small waves that crashed into the sand were her music, and she had gotten lost with both the sound and her dance.

After repeating and adding more steps, she finalized her fusion dance by standing on her tip toes, and giving a dip to her imaginary dance partner. Once doing so, she opened her eyes, and heaved out a sigh. The small, yet vigorous dance had helped her calm the raging thoughts on her head, and she was now ready to head back home. She was ready to face another day, and perhaps, to encounter something new along the way.

She calmly went up her home's stairs, and quietly creaked open the door, thinking nobody had seen her dance-- thinking no one had noticed her strange behavior. The slender Gem had indeed inspected the area for any possible being standing close by. What she hadn't noticed, however, was that one of her own had been watching her from afar. Said person couldn't help the grin that was forming on her stern features, as she watched her sit on the couch, deep in her own thoughts.

The two had been quite troubled with their thoughts. There was, however, a difference. One was rather happy of the thoughts that her head carried, whereas the other was quite preoccupied with all the thoughts forming on hers.

Pearl simply couldn't believe such a strange encounter had taken place just a few hours ago, and she didn't want to close her eyes. She thought this had been all but a dream, and as soon as she woke up, she would be back at the border of the ocean-- still practicing her dance. The troubled woman thought she would return back to reality as soon as the next day came along.

Meanwhile, you were laying on your bed, with your eyes wide open. You were having trouble falling asleep, and you had tried countless times to simply relax your mind. That, of course, had been impossible. From drawing your thoughts out on the papers that were laid out on the desk to staring out the window, you hoped this would've gotten your mind away from her, yet both the drawing you'd created and the stars you had gazed reminded you all of the woman with copper hair.

You felt strange and conflicted ever since that odd encounter, and as much as you hated to admit it, you wanted to see her again. The woman had captured your heart with her grace and curious questions. Needless to say, you wanted to know more about her. You yearned to see her beautiful, blue eyes one more time before you left this adventurous place.

It was for certain both you and her weren't to obtain any proper rest this night, hence why you both decided on letting your thoughts go wild. You both let your minds run free, until they would finally tire of their incessant pondering.


	3. Like The Stars

The young man watched from afar, as you stood still while holding onto the bars of the balcony. You were absentmindedly gazing at the many stars present in the sky, having given up on obtaining any sleep for today. He noticed you were one of the few who were left awake, hence why he decided to offer you a cup of coffee.

"Would you like some coffee, ma'am?" he questioned to you, this snapping you out of your trance. "You seem a bit tired."

You turned your head around towards the voice, and instantly recognized his face. The young, tanned man was now dressed in a more casual attire, as compared to the suit he wore when he checked you in. He seemed rather interested in you, ever since you had returned from your walk by the beach.

"Oh. . . Well, that would be nice!" you replied, while lightly nodding your head.

The young man nodded back, as he took the kettle that was resting on one of the balcony's tables. He took a cup with his other hand, and poured the hot liquid to the brim. Then, he handed it over to you, along with a mixer, and a pair of sugar packets.

"Here you are." the young man said, as he handed you the cup, with a gentle smile forming on his lips. "Is there anything else you would like?" he questioned, in a rather friendly and attentive tone.

He seemed to be offering something more rather than his regular hotel management services, and that made you think over his words. You admittedly felt better with someone by your side, and you were looking to express your thoughts with someone. That, however, would require someone you'd gotten to know for many years-- which was impossible, considering you were always traveling to different places, and leaving many people and things behind. You finally decided to take the risk, and ask him at least one question before the clock struck four in the morning.

"Have you ever fallen for someone. . . just by looking at their eyes?" you questioned to the lad next to you, as his eyes widened in realization.

"Yes. . ." he murmured, as he placed a hand over his forehead, and averted his gaze.

Your question made him remember the man that had delivered his mail on the weekend. He remembered all about his passion for acting, and his determined voice-- all with such a simple question as that. That mailman had captured his heart, just with the sparkle in his eyes, and the willingness in his voice.

"Yes, I have. . ." he stated, this time more audibly.

His cheeks were lightly tinted red, and a small smile was tugging on his lips. The simple memory had made his head go over the clouds, and he gladly appreciated such a flashback as that. Hence, why he decided to further the conversation.

"Did something happen on the beach, perhaps?" he asked, as he faced your gaze with a rather mischievous glint on both his eyes and smile.

"Uh. . . Kind of." you said, while attempting to shrug it off.

The attentiveness in his voice made you want to take your words back, and to never have asked such a sudden question as that. You knew that, as much as you wanted to talk about it, you wouldn't be able to say it properly. His gaze, however, made you realize that he was more than willing on hearing you out, and that your question had indeed interested him. You had piqued his curiosity from the very beginning, yet he hadn't expected it to turn out this way.

After such a quiet response, the two of you exchanged smiles, and went back to your own matters. He walked towards the tables, while you held your coffee on one hand. You then took a glance at your watch, realizing it was now four in the morning.

The sky, however, was still dark, and you were wondering when would the sun begin to make its appearance. As you took one final glance at the sky, you could feel as if someone was watching you. You looked around, finding nothing and nobody, except for the young man-- who was now cleaning the tables and whistling a tune to himself. His stance was what seemed to be out of place, for he looked nervous, and he was shifting lightly on his feet-- it was as if he was a child that had almost been caught stealing a cookie from a jar. Seeing such a thing made you chuckle, and you wondered just what he had resting in his mind.


	4. Your Beginning

You lifted your head from the cold, hard desk of your hotel room, feeling your head ache terribly. The windows hadn't been shut, and a harsh sunlight was pouring through the windows. The rays hit your face, and you had to squint your eyes to look at your watch. Once doing so, your eyes lightly widened in realization.

It was already nine in the morning, and you had fallen asleep over the desk. What most took you aback, however, were the papers that were scattered all over the area. One, in particular, caught your eye. It was a rough sketch of the woman you had met yesterday.

The sketch composed itself of the woman holding a cup in her hands. She was taking a sip of her drink, yet her gaze wasn't focused on the cup. Her eyes were focused somewhere else, and she had a faint, blue blush spread across her cheeks. Unlike her attire from last night, she wore a rather over-sized shirt, and she seemed calm.

Your drawing observation was put to a halt, as you felt your stomach protest and growl. You soon remembered that, besides the coffee you had at four in the morning, you hadn't gotten anything to eat. Ever since you arrived at Beach City, you hadn't eaten any food. You had been too distracted by both the beauty of the city and the woman.

Deciding it wouldn't be healthy to stay like this for much longer, you decided to go out to eat. You were ready to go adventuring once again-- while getting something to eat, of course. After getting through your morning routine, and fixing up your hair in a more proper fashion, you opened the door of your hotel room. You exited the place with a determined smile, ready to face the day.

You weren't going to be distracted any longer; you were going to do what you truly came here for. Your curious, adventurous self was ready to explore the city, and to meet new people-- without getting too attached, of course.

Your gaze shifted from place to place, as you took in all the buildings and nature that surrounded you. Arriving at one particular place, you could see many people and a humble amount of businesses. It had become much more lively now, and, to your luck, there were a few places where you could grab something to eat.

The first place that caught your eye was named 'The Big Donut'-- mainly because of the giant doughnut statue standing on top of the rood, and due to your eternal love over sweets. Without giving it much thought, you entered the shop, quite eager to obtain something to eat.

Once inside, you came across a short, plump woman with long, white hair, who was carrying a few bags of sweets on her small hands. Her eyes immediately grew in size as soon as she met your hair's blue streaks. She seemed to be biting back her words, and thus, only waved at you as she left the building. You awkwardly waved back, as you watched her get farther away from your sight.

Ignoring the odd encounter you just experienced, plus the sense of déjà vú, you ventured forward towards the counter, were a slender, young man stood in wait. From his appearance, you assumed he was a teenager-- which made you feel old, now remembering you were soon to turn twenty-three. It felt strange reminiscing that, just a few years ago, you were a college student eager to become someone big and to thrive greatly in life. Those were, however, only mere, faded dreams that had become distant thoughts as the years went on.

Once reality came crashing down on you, your aspirations of becoming a humanitarian, with a stable life and income, were completed crushed just three years ago. You were practically left to complete your basic needs with only the money that your around-the-world photography and other dead-end jobs provided for you.

"Are you just going to stand there, or. . .?" the young man's voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

"Oh! Sorry about that. . . " you mumbled, while letting out an awkward laugh. "I'd like a pair of those doughnuts." you said, while pointing towards the guava-filled, powdered ones.

Lars, as you could identify from his name tag, only nodded in response as he went over to pick the sweets you ordered. Meanwhile, you decided to go towards the fridges of the shop, and choose something cold to drink. As much as you liked the classic pair of coffee and doughnuts, you didn't want to drink too much caffeine-- considering you how had a large cup of it just a few hours ago.

Short after returning with your drink, you handed out your payment to Lars, and prepared to leave the pastry store. Just as you were midway out of the store, however, his voice put you to a stop. He had called for you to wait, and so, you did.

"Uh, by any chance, are you new around here?" he asked, in a rather odd tone.

The way those words had left his mouth made you wonder if you were making your tourist status rather too obvious for the people around you. You turned your head over towards him, and could see he carried a glint of curiosity on his face. Hence, why you decided on being truthful, both to him and yourself.

"Yes, I arrived just yesterday." you replied, with a small smile taking over your face.

With those final words, both of you could only say goodbye in an awkward manner. His lack of words and hesitant dismissal left you wondering if there was something more to him and his sudden question. Deciding it would be best to leave the matter alone, you exited the store and focused on eating your self-proclaimed 'breakfast'.

Arriving outside, your face lit up, as your eyes captured the scenery before you. The sun was shining beautifully, and you could see many seagulls taking over the sky with their wings. You hastily took bites of your doughnut and sips of your coffee, for you wanted to capture the beauty before you-- before it faded away. You were quick to finish your small meal, and you were now rummaging inside your bag, in search for your camera.

Once the camera was in your hands, you focused on the landscape before you, while leaving your bag open in the process. Your eager self didn't wish to waste this opportunity, which led for those particular papers to fly away with the wind, and for their escape to go unnoticed. You were too centered on getting your job done, and it wasn't until you took various pictures that you noticed something was missing.

After carefully putting the camera away, you began to look through your bag. You felt the nagging sensation that something important escaped from you. The particular stack of documents you'd been told to guard were nowhere to be found, and you could feel your worry increase. If you'd indeed lost those documents, you were certain you would get fired from one of your many, yet important jobs. If you so much as lost a bit of income, everything would return back to being troublesome, which was something you'd been trying to avoid at all costs.

What you could do now, however, was to continue on with your exploration. It wouldn't do you any good to fret, at the give moment. Hence, why you continued walking forward-- deeper into Beach City and all its wonders. It was of no doubt this would be a hefty, time-constricted journey, yet you wanted to cherish it as much as possible. The only times you could actually travel and explore the world around you was when your boss gave you the resources to go accomplish them. You were humbly grateful for such an opportunity, yet you knew she wouldn't be-- if you had really lost those papers, that is.

"You'll always be irresponsible and reckless. . ." you mumbled to yourself, remembering the very statement your mother had once –if not various times– directed towards your younger self.

Those words were directed right after you abandoned the university, got down from her car, and went out towards the unknown. It was at that time that you were left on your own, to fend off for yourself, without any guidance as to what you would do next. Those days had been the most impacting on your life, and they had changed your views in mayor ways.

Saying those negative words and remembering such nostalgic things, you couldn't help heaving out a sigh. It wasn't the time to remember such matters, yet your mind always did the same. Your mind always chose the worst possible scenarios to give away its thoughts.


	5. Her Remembrance

Hanging on to your last bit of hope, you decided to retrace your steps. Hopefully, by doing so, you would be able to find what you'd seemingly lost due to your slight negligence towards more important matters. You walked back all the way towards the hotel, and eventually, you found yourself speaking with the now well-know worker of the premises.

He greeted you with a smile, whereas you could only force a half smile. Thinking that you'd have to use your saved expenses, travel back home, and face your boss – while afterwards performing a walk of shame, didn't make you feel so good about things. Forming a brand new life here, ignoring your boss's calls, and hiding just because of your fears wasn't encouraging either. Noticing your rather odd composure, he decided to ask over your well-being.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?" he questioned, as he offered you a rather sympathetic smile. "You seem a bit troubled."

"Uh, yeah. . ." you mumbled, as you glanced a worried look back at the ocean. "I'm okay. . . I kinda just lost something."

"Oh?" he spoke, seemingly remembering something important. "What exactly are you searching for? I've found a few stranded items while cleaning up the rooms today."

"It's a stack of white and yellow papers, if I'm not mistaken."

"Hmm. . . I'll have a look at the lost and found cart." he stated, with a nod. "You can take a look and, hopefully, you'll find what you've lost."

"Thank you, sir!"

With those last words on your part, he ventured off in search for the lost-and-found cart. You, deciding it would be of no use to continue stressing over a problem with no visible solution –at the given moment–, took a seat on one of the benches set below the small, outdoor carp of the hotel. You took in the whole area that surrounded you, from the beach to the nearby seagulls which were nibbling on some fry bits. As you did, you took out the small sketchbook from your bag, and started sketching the scenery before you.

You became lost in the small world which you were creating, and it wasn't until you felt a soft tap over your shoulder that you realized there was a presence next to you. Looking up from your sitting position, you could see the worker – of which you still hadn't captured his name well, and a large cloth cart in front of him.

"Here it is, ma'am." he offered, as he gently pushed the cart closer towards you.

In response to his words, you nodded and muttered a quick thank you. You were quite eager to search through the cart, and were now solely focused on such. Getting up, you stood in front of the cart, and began to carefully inspect through all the items. Your eyes skimmed through common items-- such as toys, hairpins, and pens. After much searching through, your eyes gained a spark, as you read 'passport information' over a particular stack of papers.

Immediately, you took the papers in your now trembling hands, and let out out a small gasp, once noticing these were in fact the papers you thought were as good as vanished.

Unable to hold back your joy, you gave the worker a quick, yet strong hug. You weren't as unfortunate as you thought you were, and you were quite grateful for having such a lovely worker to lend you a hand.

Not only had he given you free coffee and spoken to you about certain matters, but he'd also saved you for what could've been the greatest disappointment of all your years of living.

"Thank you, sir!" you exclaimed, as you offered him one of your brightest smiles. "You've practically saved my job!"

"It's nothing, ma'am. I'm just doing my job."

"You're doing it well, then." you complimented, with an assuring nod.

After the momentary conflict was solved, he headed back inside the hotel, while you sat back again on the bench. As you did, you observed how a young, curly-haired boy talked energetically with a dark-skinned girl, who carried what seemed to be a colored drawing on her hands. The boy was gushing about just how beautiful the sketch was, and how he had to find the owner of it. Whereas, the girl told him about how she'd found the drawing, and desired to know more of the person who drew it.

Noticing the rather strange conversation, you looked up from drawing the scenery where the two children stood by, and glanced a look at them with wide, curious eyes. You found it interesting that there was another artist close by, and you, as well, wanted to meet them. As you snapped away from your observation, however, the two children looked over towards where you were seated at. The young girl, noticing your drawing pad and pencil, thought it would be fruitful if she went over towards your side.

"Excuse me, ma'am." she spoke, as she offered a smile, and tried her best to not peak at your sketches. "Does this drawing belong to you?" she questioned, while gently placing the paper over your free hand.

As soon as you viewed the paper placed in front of your eyes, you felt as if every ounce of blood drained away from your body. The empty feeling your bag carried was due to those particular drawings you'd lost.

You thought what was missing were the papers which contained both your job and availability to return home. Yet, what you'd lost were the stray, ripped off papers from your sketchbook-- in which you had drawn a few people who'd made an impact on you ever since you stepped foot on Beach City.

A short and blond sailor, his son, the worker from the hotel, and a young boy with tanned skin and oddly-shaped hair were some drawings you wished would've been discovered. Yet, what had to be found was the drawing of the woman you met at the beach. Noticing said woman standing close by made you regret your drawing decisions even more, and now, you began to make a mental note of never drawing people again-- without their permission, that is.

 

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

 

The built, oddly calm woman chuckled, as she placed a hand over your shoulder. She, unlike you, was happy that such a drawing was found by the hands of the two children. She assured you it was of no shame, yet you couldn't help the awkward feeling such an event brought.

"Pearl's mood has changed a lot since yesterday night. And I appreciate you thinking so positively about her." Garnet spoke again, as she made herself comfortable on the bench.

The two of you stood seated, she with her calm posture whereas you were shifting on your seat. She was watching the children walk around the beach-- while the pair were being looked after by Pearl, and you decided to join in on the observation. Steven and Connie, as you could remember from her words, had reluctantly left you alone, seeing as Garnet wanted to have some private, small talk with you.

Garnet had been waiting for the children to finish with their matters, yet once she caught sight of your blue streaks, her plans changed. She wanted to see by herself who was the 'mysterious' woman Pearl had encountered at the beach.

"She's been a bit down ever since. . . a new member arrived to our home." she explained, referring to a certain incident between the young boy, and a short, purple friend of hers. "Why don't you strike up a conversation with her? I'm sure she'll appreciate the company."

"Well. . ." you mumbled, as you thought through her words. "I. . . I guess I could spend some time with her."

"Great." she suddenly replied, as she placed a hand over your shoulder, and made you face her gaze.

Noticing she carried something in her mind, you patiently waited for her to speak up.

"Go to this place tomorrow in the afternoon." she explained, as she handed you over what seemed to be a business card for a car wash. "I'll tell her to be there too."

With that final, somewhat strange statement, she left off towards the children, thus leaving you with many questions in your mind, and without being able to answer a single one of them.


	6. Like The Moon

After the busy morning you'd experience, the rest of the day went by like a breeze. You were eager to make the best of this day and to take the best pictures possible. You wanted to make your boss proud – even more now with the small yet meaningful incident that you'd recently passed through. The day soon reached its end and now, you found yourself taking a break outside – enjoying the beautiful, nightly view of the ocean.

As you stood looking at the large, gleaming moon hanging above your eyes, while admiring each and every one of the small stars next to its presence, you spotted the all-too-familiar, petite figure of the woman who'd been making you overthink ever since you arrived to this foreign land.

Pearl was standing close to the ocean again. This time, however, she was sitting as still as a rock and her knees were tucked over her chest. From afar, you could see she was lost in her thoughts, and it made you wonder over just what was going through her mind.

As you were lost in your peculiar observation, the woman had turned her gaze around. She barely hesitated on waving towards you once she caught sight of you, which made for your posture to straighten up.

You stood seated like a military soldier in training, and you felt your cheeks grow warm –even with the coldness of the windy night.

Hesitantly, you waved back towards her, internally wishing and hoping you hadn't made her feel stranged out by your previous actions. Yet – much to your surprise and relief – she gestured for you to arrive next to her. She first made a signal with her pale hand and afterwards, patted the sand next to where she was sitting at.

Understanding just what she desired, you carefully stood up from the bench and walked towards the beach. You instantly remembered you had no shoes on once you felt the sand tickle in between your toes. The sand was as cold as the wind hitting your skin, and it made for a shudder to unconsciously take over your body.

After a short walk towards your destination, you greeted the expectant woman with a warm, rather sheepish smile. She then politely returned your gesture, and decided it was best if she spoke up, seeing as you were quite doubtful of taking lead of the conversation.

"Is everything alright, _________?" Pearl questioned, observing how you sat down next to her with somewhat lost, worried eyes.

"Yeah. . . I'm doing good." you spoke, letting a soft sigh escape your lips. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment."

"Anyhow. . . Is everything going well? Even though we met each other yesterday, it feels as if it's been a long time." you then added, remembering what Garnet had spoken with you earlier ago.

"I am quite well." she replied with a small nod, with a brighter smile quickly taking over her pale features. "Somehow, despite everything that has been occurring, I feel that this will all be for the best. I. . . I feel as if something great will await everyone in the future."

"I'm glad to her that." you stated with a merry, amiable smile, accidentally meeting with her gaze after you finished with those words. 

Strangely, her blue eyes were furrowed with what seemed to be worry, yet her present smile showed her words were true and sincere. She seemed to enjoy the company, and that she was able to speak with you so placidly.

"H- How is your career progressing?" she suddenly questioned, looking away from your gaze and facing the waters in front of her. "I've been informed by Garnet that you work as a world-wide, scenery photographer. Have you taken any pictures as of now?"

Hearing her question, your eyes brightened up, and your first instinct was to take your trusty camera out of your pocket.

"Yes, I've. . . I've managed to save many beautiful sceneries in this camera."

"Oh? May I see them?"

"Su- Sure!" you mumbled, quite taken aback.

The clear curiosity in her tone – plus the attentive look she had over the small camera in your hands – had taken you by surprise. Seeing her interested in such matters somehow made you feel joyful.

"This is the first one I took!" you explained, as you carefully placed the camera over her hands.

In display was a picture of the dock you'd gotten down from just yesterday. Next to the humble boat, a short and bearded man was sweeping up the wooden planks. Behind him, a small group of seagulls were nibbling on some bread crumbs. Both he and the flock of birds were covered in a soft, tangerine lighting due to the breathtakingly pristine sunset taking place at that current time.

"My, this is certainly beautiful!" she spoke, another a small, brighter smile tugging on her lips.

After giving her a moment to finish with her observation, you continued to show her the rest of the pictures. You both admired the pictures in silence, finding it to be a relaxing way to pass the rest of the night.

 


	7. Your Acquaintanceship

You took a glance at the handmade business card your hand held. Afterwards, you looked at the humble building set in front of you. A colorful, elephant-shaped sign with the words 'It's a Wash' was placed above the entrance, and next to the building stood the young boy you'd met yesterday, back at the beach.

He – currently busy wiping clean the passenger door of a maroon-colored Jeep – hadn't noticed your arrival. This led for you to stand by awkwardly while you pondered over whether or not you should interrupt his chores.

To your relief, however, a seemingly middle-aged man in a white tank top had sensed your presence and decided to greet you once being closer enough to recognize your face.

"Hey there, ma'am!" he greeted, waving his hand in a friendly demeanor. "You're the photographer from overseas, right?"

"Yes!" you called out, giving a firm nod. "I was told to arrive here at three?"

"Yeah, it was Steven's idea! He asked me if we could all go show you Beach City's greener places by car, or in this case. . . Van."

"I see. . ." you mumbled, thinking the offer was just too kind of both he and the child. "Is that really okay with you, sir?"

"'Course it is! I don't mind having a new face joining in with us, and Steven's been wanting to do his ever since he found out about you."

"Well, then. . . Thank you, sir."

Hearing those words, a warm and joyous smile took over the man's bearded face, and he then proceeded to escort you towards the boy with the red shirt. Though, as he turned around, his son was no longer in sight.

The yellow rag the boy had been using earlier was now laying discarded on the floor and the water hose had been turned off, as well. Greg was about to venture inside the building – in search for his son – yet a yell soon interrupted his actions.

"Dad!" Steven eagerly called, as he ran all the way towards his father. "I found the camera!"

"Yes – We just had to organize some of his drawers to find it." a gentle voice added, and you immediately recognized to who it belonged to. "Oh, and I see our guest has arrived early!"

"G- Good evening!"

Before you stood a group of five women, with Steven standing next to their side. They all waved at you, as you returned their gesture with a smile.

"Guys, this is ___________!" Steven began, gesturing both his pale, chubby hands towards you.

All five women glanced a look at the young boy, and afterwards, they returned their intrigued gazes towards you. The short, lime-toned one gave you a big, friendly grin and waved eagerly at you; whereas the blue one with cerulean, short hair waved lazily – with an equally lazy smirk taking over her somewhat stoic face.

Afterwards, you recognized the chubby and purple-skinned woman which you had briefly spotted back at the doughnut shop some time ago. The other remaining two – which you now knew as Garnet and Pearl – where packing some items away in a spray-painted Van nearby.

"This is Amethyst!" Steven spoke, as he began to introduce you to what you assumed were members of his family.

The purple one acknowledged you once more while Steven continued on with his eager introductions.

"This is Peridot." he followed, now pointing at the one with strangely-shaped hair.

She again smiled at you, and – once making sure you recieved her second greeting – she left to help out the other two women at the Van.

"And this is–"

"Hi, I'm Bob." the blue one interrupted, though her smile showed the action was well-intentioned on her part.

"Lapis!" Steven exclaimed, disapproving of her small lie.

"Alright." Lapis chuckled, giving a brighter smile towards the boy. "It's Lapis."

"Nice to meet you." you spoke up, nodding your head in friendly acknowledgement to all their introductions.

Finally well-informed of everyone that you would be traveling with, Greg – along with his son and the women – mounted themselves on the Van. The man started up his trusty vehicle, while Peridot outstretched a hand for you to climb in on the back.

"I- I've been informed you travel the world! Is that correct, ___________?" she questioned, once you were both settled down on the vehicle's floor.

"Yeah, I've learnt of many cultures and places thanks to my job." you responded, whilst the other short, long-haired woman sat down and joined in on the conversation.

"Does that imply you've traveled to other places besides the Earth?!" Peridot inquired once again, this time with much more excitement visible on both her tone and features.

"Uh. . . Well, not exactly. The farthest I've gone is to India. But, I guess it would be pretty amazing if I could ever go that far!"

"India?" Amethyst intervened, cocking her head. "Do ya have any pictures with you?"

"I do! Only a few, though. . . Since I have to make up space in my cameras after the physical pictures are out."

With that, you took out your most favoured camera from your messenger bag and immediately began to show the two curious women the remaining pictures of India and all of its wonders. Eventually, both Pearl and Garnet joined in. Meanwhile, Greg started up the vehicle and drove off towards your first destination. Everyone around you watched with awe as you continued to press the 'next' button of your camera, and Steven had even managed to make Lapis join in on the moment everyone was currently sharing.

"Do you carry any other camera besides this one?" Pearl questioned, as she leaned over to meet with your eyes.

Yesterday night, you'd shown her a different camera, and seeing how there were more had left her amazed. Even with how much she'd seen of planet Earth from her many years of living, she hadn't the chance to properly admire her surroundings.

For both her and the other women, it was simply astounding to see just how many wonders nature and human-made buildings carried within them.

"Y- Yeah. . ." you mumbled, mildly taken aback by the sudden closeness of her face.

Seeing everyone so eager to see your photography made for a ghost of a smile to appear on your face. The amount of curiosity everyone around you carried made you wonder. It was as if they were just beginning to learn about this planet – as if they weren't from this planet.

Both the green and blue-haired women had even asked for an explanation as to what were volcanoes – once you'd carried on your conversation about the different places you'd managed to visit during your career.

As you rummaged through your ___-colored bag, searching for another camera to show to everyone, your eyes wandered over Lapis, who was currently in possession of the other on. She carried a curious look over her blue face, and her eyes were locked on the small screen of your photographic equipment. Having noticed your staring, she looked up from the screen, and decided to question what was on her mind.

"Have you always found a place to stay, once you arrive to these places?" the blue-haired woman asked, carefully handing you over the camera.

"I guess so. . ." You muttered, feeling her words carried more to them than what you were about to respond – it truly felt as if she were questioning over something much personal and deeper than that of booking a three-day stay on a foreign hotel.

However, thinking you weren't yet in close terms with her to ask what she meant with that, you decided to skate the thought off, and carried on with what you were originally going to say. "I usually make a reservation on the most convenient place I find."

Finalizing those words, you realized just how different this travel had been. Usually, you would only manage to create one or two acquaintances by the end of your visit. Yet, here you were: sitting on the back part of a Van, accompanied by a welcoming group of seven. Each one of them had become interested in your abilities, and they were desirous on hearing more about your travels.

Despite this positive view, remembering this visit was to last only five days – and that you were already experiencing the third one – made for a small wave of nostalgia to reach your chest. Determined to enjoy these last few moments, you continued to speak with everyone around you as the Van continuously came closer to you first destination farther away from the hotel.


	8. Her Expressivity

Once the Van came to a stop, Greg opened the back door for everyone to exit through it. You waited for the boy and five women to get down first and afterwards, you were lent a hand by Peridot.

"Thank you!" You spoke up, as soon as your hand made contact with hers.

The green-haired lady smiled in response to your words, and didn't hesitate on leading you to your first destination. She quickly led you towards Steven, who'd been waiting eagerly for everyone to unite. The young boy wanted to give you a tour of the places he was most fond of.

In front of you stood a steep hill with vivid trails of grass and petite, colorful flowers of all shapes and sorts decorating its path. Everyone close by stood still for a moment as they waited for a sudden, strong gust of wind to pass by.

"C'mon!" Steven exclaimed, as he began to walk up the steep path. "If you're here to know about our home. . . you have to see this!"

Listening to his words, you decided to nod in understanding. You took a final glance at your surroundings and noticed how everyone around you was already making progress to arrive at their destination. Strangely, however, the blue-haired woman was already at the top of the hill, whereas the rest were only midway there.

Witnessing this, you couldn't avoid wondering just how she'd managed to arrive there so quickly. Both her face and body showed no signs of physical exhaustion – she seemed unfazed after what would usually be some arduous exercise.

With these distractions, you soon managed to reach the top of the hill, and were currently waiting for Steven to carry on with his small tour of the area. He wasted no time on doing so as he led you towards a sun-bathed hill decorated with numerous, magenta-colored flower buds that swayed and danced wildly with the wind.

On a first glance, it seemed like a typical, humble flower patch one would find at someone's garden, yet – as you continued to inspect the scene – the more beautiful it became to your sight.

The flower buds began to move lightly with the breeze once the stronger winds leveled down, and – eventually – they opened up. Slowly, they began to spread their petals as some small, hot pink gemstones were revealed on the pistil of the flower. Farther into the scenery, you noticed the hill made it possible for the entire Beach City to be visible to your eyes. The colorful sky caused for the flowers to become even more breathtaking to look at, and you stood gazing at the scene with awe.

Steven, noticing your joyous and overwhelmed state, decided to provide you with more knowledge as to what these flowers were.

"Those are moss flowers!" He explained, trying to imitate a tour-guide's ways of speech.

He walked closer towards the patches and pointed at them.

"The lil' guys start off as a pile of moss. . . And then, they bloom when the sun hits them!" He finished off, whilst the others continued to inspect their surroundings – almost as if expecting for something to be out of place.

"This is really beautiful!" You beamed, with your eyes growing in size and lips curving into a genial smile.

Even with the plentiful amount of buildings and monuments you'd been to, nature always seemed to amaze you the most.

Yet, as soon as you remembered you were supposed to capture the scenery, your smile changed into a pensive frown and your previously relaxed posture became stiff.

There was one thing you were always in complete agreement with your boss, and that was the respect of a person or place's well-needed respect and privacy. Being a 'tourist' for the sake of your job sometimes made it a bit awkward to intervene with someone's culture or home.

"Wouldn't you like to capture a memory of this place, then?" Pearl suggested, noticing your hesitant state.

Your gaze shifted from the patch of moss flowers and later faced towards her curious, light-blue eyes. As much as you admired this place, it felt just a little too beautiful for you or any other visitor to tamper with. Quite like your shirt visit towards the Bioluminescent Bay of Vieques, the scenery before you made you hesitate on taking a picture.

"I. . . I guess so. Is it really fine for me to take it, though?" You questioned at the woman, wanting to make sure, and to hopefully shake away your doubts.

"It is!" Steven intervened, while Pearl nodded in agreement to his words.

Receiving their approval, you were able to relax slightly.

You took the smallest camera out from your bag, and walked closer towards the plentiful group of flowers. Now facing them, you thought it would be best to crouch down to their level, seeing as it was the most captivating angle of them all.

Carefully, you sat down on the grass, and inspected the vibrant moss flowers before you. The wind had gotten much stronger, which made for them to sway more frequently and with a consistent, gentle rhythm. You watched in pure amazement through the lenses of your camera, – finally – snapped a picture of the landscape before you.

As you inspected the photograph, you felt another person sit down next to your side. You were quick to direct your gaze towards where you expected to see the figure, and immediately, you recognized who it was.

"Did it turn out well?" The copper-haired woman asked, with a soft smile appearing over her pale features.

"Yeah – I think it turned out good!" You responded, showing her the picture afterwards.

As you both inspected the picture revealed in the small, yet highly-advanced device, a gust of wind attacked everyone's faces. The wind carried a sweet scent to it, and it had been strong enough to make some of the flowers to fly away with the wind.

A familiar, slender hand managed to take hold of one, and it caressed the petals with great, intricate care. You focused your gaze at the one who held it. Quietly, you observed the way Pearl held on to the flower, and – eventually – she was able to notice your gaze. Her face soon became brighter as an idea came across her mind.

With caution, she reached for one of your blue streaks and pressed the flower's short stem against it. She fumbled with various locks of your hair, trying to make her sudden, peculiar idea turn out successful.

"There!" Sh declared, finally letting go of both the flower and your strands of hair. "It looks surprisingly well with this shade of blue!"

Catching on as to what exactly she was referring to, you took out a small mirror from your bag and gazed upon your reflection.

The vibrant, hot-pink flower was resting on the right side of your hair. The blue and pink contrast – though usually odd to the fashion industry – managed to make for a beautiful, one-of-a-kind match. Both of these colors complimented each other well, and neither one of the two shades managed to overshadow one another despite their vibrancy.

"Thank you. . . This looks lovely!" you spoke, and a thought took over your head. "But, I'd rather plant it back on the ground. . . It's too beautiful to be taken away."

As you said those words, a warmer smile took over the woman's features. She seemed to fully understand your sudden thoughts, yet she desired for the flower to stay by your side. Oddly enough, the little flower carried much more life to it once it had been placed over your hair.


	9. Like The Wind

After your visit to the top of the hill, the 'tour guide' headed towards his 'assistant' for some help. In other words: Steven had gone over to his father, and asked him to drive towards another location.

The small visit to view the moss flowers had lasted for more than two hours and there was only less than an hour left before the sun began to turn in its shift for the day, hence why you were currently standing at the young boy's home – a place which he many times insisted you had to see before you returned back home.

First, he began telling you about the many people he'd met and shared adventures with on this very location. From starting with a topic as simple as meeting his friend Connie for the first time, and ending with a young man creating conspiracy theories about this area's true history, you wondered over just what events had taken place here for such stories to be told to you by him The more time you spent with Steven, the more you began to believe there was more to him and his companions than what your eyes were seeing.

Yet, now that the sun was almost gone and everyone was beginning to gather up at a picnic table set nearby the beach, you centered your attention on your job - your current task in hand. You inspected your surroundings while Steven waited patiently by your side.

"Are you certain this is okay? I mean, it is your home and all. . ." You interrogated, facing the scenery that'd quickly captured your attention once you'd arrived.

"Yeah! Ronaldo takes pictures all the time, and even posts them on his blog. . . So, it's fine!"

"Well, I can see why. . . This statue is simply breathtaking!" You complimented, taking another look at the home in front of you. "I can't thank you enough for this!"

With caution, you lifted the camera and angled it close to center of the large, stone statue protecting the home in two of its many crumbling hands. You waited for the young boy's final approval over your actions and for the strong, evening sunlight to lessen more.

Finally, after much worrying and angle-searching, you took a shot of the lovely, carved figure of what you assumed was a mythical type of giant warrior-woman. As much as this monument before your awestruck eyes had interested you, this was most undoubtedly their humble home, and – according to your boss's proclaims – that was a path you should never cross, something of which you agreed with.

On your very first assignment – which had been to Hawaii – you'd taken various pictures of your family's very own tropical garden.

Even though these were the property of your secondary relatives, your boss had given you a lecture about this matter and since then, you thought thrice when taking action during your travels.

"Do you want to join us?" A friendly voice called, snapping you away from your thoughts.

Looking towards the voice, you spotted Greg standing right next to the picnic table, with Steven now standing happily by his side. The man had an inviting smile over his face, whereas the group of five women were already seated down.

They were all currently speaking with one another. Peridot was sharing with Lapis her thoughts about a TV show the two seemingly shared an interest in, while Amethyst was making a rather strange bet with Pearl, which revolved around her drinking a can of juice, without grimacing or spitting it out.

On a similar note, Garnet had given another bet for the pale, copper-haired woman to take. She'd challenged her to ask someone out. This one – even though you'd failed to hear just who was she to ask – was much more understandable to your ears, unlike the one about juice.

You immediately took a glance towards the now dark-orange sky and decided it was time to politely decline their kindness. It was getting late, and you were still to write approximately three-thousand words involving the current places you'd already visited. Considering there were only two days left, and you had yet to accomplish many things, there wasn't much time to loiter about.

"I apologize, but. . . I'll have to take my leave now. There's other places I have yet to visit, and I don't wish to intrude any longer."

"Well, alright. It's a shame we couldn't show you more places, but. . ." The man took a pause, as he shifted his eyes towards the table and reached out for a box on top of it. "Here, at least, let me give you this."

Greg handed you over a white box made out of thin cardboard. It was as big as both your palms together, and – once you took it in your hands – you noticed the great weigh of it. You carefully held it with one hand, as you prepared to give out your farewells.

"Goodbye!" You called, with some hesitation. "I had a wonderful time!"

As you waved at the friendly group, you could feel your chest become heavy. In just a couple of hours you'd shared together, you'd grown fond of them, and you wished these hours had been longer. Your stay at Beach City was going by as spontaneously as a strong gust of wind, hence why you were attempting to cherish these moments as much as it was possible.


	10. Your Friendship

Another calm, starry night passed by your sleep-deprived eyes — those of which had gone through a light case of insomnia ever since you stepped foot on Beach City.

As your tired eyes slowly began to open up, you realized you were now on the semifinal day of your travels. 

In just three days, you'd gotten the chance to meet many wonderful people, and you wished you'd given them a better goodbye back at the young boy's home. You were mostly likely to never encounter with them again, and that realization was enough to make you aware of your current situation. 

Yes — there were merely forty hours left until your transportation to return back home arrived at the port, and you were going to make the most out of each one.

Determined to exit your hotel room, you ran towards the small door of the bathroom and quickly began to prepare yourself for what you hoped would be a fulfilling day. 

 

**~~~~~**

 

Midway down the stairs of the hotel's lobby, you stopped on your feet, spotting the hotel clerk going the opposite direction of yours. He carried a large basket of laundry in his hands, which managed to cover a great portion of his vision. This made for your presence to go unnoticed, and for him to take cautious steps up the stairs along his way. You watched as he got farther away from your sight, and — after giving it some thought — you decided to follow your mind's first suggestion."

"Hey!" you called, with a smile slowly appearing over your face. 

The gentleman flinched lightly in surprise, as his body slowly began to turn over towards your direction. His eyes were as wide as plates, yet the second he realized to whom the voice belonged to, he let out a sigh — in what you assumed was relief. 

"Thank goodness it's you, ma'am!" he spoke, letting the laundry basket touch the carpeted floor and walking closer to where you stood. "I. . . I thought that was my boss for a second there."

"So — Sorry about that! I just wanted to give you something. . ." you explained to his worried state, to which he responded with a mousy smile.

Having said those words, you began to rummage around your messenger bag, searching for your sketch pad. The boy you'd traveled with yesterday had given you an idea, and you were quite successful on achieving it during your almost sleepless night. The second you'd finished with your job duties, your hands reached out for the drawing pad and a pencil, which you used to convey the idea that both Steven and a photograph had given you. 

"I saw a picture of you and Jamie over your desk, so I thought it'd be. . . _fun_ to draw it in my own style." 

You ripped the drawing from the rest of your collection, and — instantly — you handed it over to the man before you. He reached out with hesitant, shaky hands, while his eyes jumped from your face to the piece of 'fanart' in his hands. 

"You. . . I — " he stumbled over his words and trailed off, staring at the drawing with wide, sparkling eyes. "Th- Thank you. This is beautiful!"

A grin began to slowly form on your face as you witnessed the man's now reddened cheeks and bright eyes.

"Glad you like it!" you bellowed, thinking it was best to accept his compliment without second thoughts. He seemed too joyful, and you didn't wish to interrupt him from his moment.

The moment he finished his observation, he went towards his desk, where he placed the drawing right next to the picture you were greatly inspired by. Soon after, he returned towards the stairs to fetch the laundry basket, whereas you decided to lend him a hand. You were trying your best to take all opportunities presented to you, in which you could spend time with a few of your newest acquaintances.

The two of you exchanged words all the way towards the laundry room, where he took the basket from your hand and began to deposit the clothing inside the many washing machines of the dimly-lit room. Halfway through his laundry tasks, you finished conversing with him and gave him a quick, yet friendly wave goodbye afterwards.

Surprisingly, you were only three hours into your day, and you were beginning to make the most of it.

 

**~~~~~**

 

You were now walking next to the sandy borders of the beach, taking this as another chance to gaze at both the ocean and the sky. It was a beautiful day, with the sun in full display and the waves crashing frequently against the sand. 

Progressing further into your walk, your shoes sank inside the heated, arid sands of the beach's border, which caused for a small trip over your own feet. Quickly, you lifted your gaze from the floor, and looked left, right, and back, searching for any possible witnesses. Noticing there was nobody close by, you let out a soft breath in relief, and continued along with your walk. 

"_________!" a voice called out from behind you, making you turn your head around in search for them. 

Before you stood the young, curly-haired boy you had gotten to know as Steven. He carried a small cloth bag in his left hand, while the other one was holding on to his father's hand. The two greeted you with wide, amiable smiles, and the boy didn't hesitate on giving you what he held in his hand. 

"Here!" he told, extending his short arm for better reach. "I wanted to give you this yesterday — with the box Dad gave you, but. . . I had to do something with it first."

"Oh. . ." you uttered, taking the bag in your hands. "Thank you."

You focused your gaze at the joyous boy, and noticed he was eager for you to open it up. His eyes were almost as bright as the hotel attendant's, and he nodded approvingly once he caught you staring at him. Carefully, you unbuttoned the sole button that sealed the bag, and reached inside for its contents. Coming in contact with something cold and metallic, you pulled out the item as a shocked smile was quick to take over you face.

In your hand now stood a pastel-colored necklace. The chain was a soft yellow in color, and its pendant was none other than one of the moss flowers you'd viewed yesterday during your travels. It was a simple yet eye-catching design, and the two main components of this hand-made piece of jewelry was enough to leave you speechless.

"This is amazing!" you added after a short period of silence, thinking that your previous compliment was just too bland for what he'd gifted you with. "I'll bring it along with me for all my future travels."

"Glad you like it!" Steven exclaimed, proudly placing his fists over the sides of his hips. "Pearl taught me how to do it!"

"That's great! You learned quite nicely, then." 

As the boy was about to respond, you were both interrupted by a melodic tune emerging from your messenger bag. Recognizing the tune, you took out your phone from your bag and glanced a look at the name on display. 

_**Incoming call. . . Boss** _

You felt your blood run cold once you saw the name. Your boss rarely ever called during your five days of research — much less did she bother after the first two days of your work passed by. Witnessing her nickname on your phone's screen was enough to give you an adrenaline rush, and for your heart beat to double its speed.

You excused yourself from both Greg and Steven, telling the two that this would only take a few seconds. Once you located yourself on a more private place, you called her back and anxiously waited for her to pick up.


	11. Her Advancement

"Hello?" You spoke, in an almost inaudible tone.

 _"Good evening."_ A voice responded, though it was difficult to hear them due to the noisy chatter and faint sirens wailing in the background.  _"Is this miss __________ I am speaking to?"_

Noticing the caller's trembling voice and worried tone, you began to question over just who this person could be.

"Yes, this is __________." You assured the caller, feeling the sudden urge to bring up your doubts. "Is something the matter? You don't sound too well. . ."

As that question left your lips, the person on the other side of the phone let out a shaky breath — in an attempt to calm themselves down. The more you paid attention to their tone, the more you began to assume that there was something wrong going on where they were currently at.

" _I'm. . . I'm the mother of your boss, and I wanted to tell you that she. . . She isn't well, and she's currently lying on a hospital bed."_  The worried mother explained, this time more calmly and audibly. " _She wants to send you to another photography agency, since she'll retire as soon as she's treated by the doctor. Now that this has happened. . . she's offered you to stay longer over at Beach City, and you can bring over whatever content you have to your new boss, once he returns from vacation. Basically, she wants you to take your time, and to not worry over her."_

"Oh. . ." You mumbled, giving thought to the current situation in hand. "But, how is she? And. . . What even happened to her? She was perfectly healthy when she left me at the dock!"

_"She. . . She was diagnosed again with lupus."_

"Again?! Is she still early enough to receive full treatment?"

_"Fortunately, yes. . . But it will take her much longer to recover from it."_

"I see. . ." You paused, placing a hand over your forehead, whilst your mind became lost in disbelief. "But, the ship will still arrive tomorrow here, right?"

As much as you wanted to accept your boss' thoughtful offer of taking your time and enjoying yourself, thinking that she could be lying ill on a hospital bed made you worry. You'd gotten to work five full years together with her, and you'd grown a rather strong attachment to her, as well.

She was practically like a second mother to you — the difference being that she actually  _believed_  in you. Ever since you arrived at the door of her office, she provided you with a great amount of encouragement you didn't think was possible for a sole human being to give.

Deciding you would reject her offer, you spoke up — breaking the silence that'd formed, and explained to her mother that you would visit her at the hospital as soon as you arrived back home.

_"Are you sure about your decision? She did want you to take it easy — She was worried that you balancing two jobs at once was going to wear you out."_

"Yes, I am completely sure. Thank you for letting me know about this — And take care, ma'am."

With those last words, you ended the call, being left with a wave of worry running through your body. You could only hope for the best in regards of her health, and that you would be able to visit her to show your gratitude for everything she'd provided you with.

If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have met with neither Steven or his kind and welcoming father. You wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet new people, nor to encounter with the copper-haired woman that had given a whole new spark to your life, and who ignited your passion for drawing again.

Without the help of your boss, you would still be all alone — still afraid to create any sort of attachment with others, mainly due to your past experiences.

Hence the reason why you were going to go back to your home. You were going to give your regards to your boss, and only then would you decide which path you would take. Luckily, however, there was still time to spare before your ship arrived at the dock. You were still on the semifinal day of your travel, and there was a whole evening left for you to explore.

"Th- Thank you for waiting. . ." You muttered, once you returned to where Steven and his father were standing at. "And I apologize for the wait — This took a bit longer than I expected it to."

"That's okay!" Steven exclaimed, as he flashed a reassuring smile towards you, and dismissed your worry with a friendly wave of his hand. "But. . . Are  _you_  okay? You didn't seem too happy with the call."

"Yes. . . I'm good." You responded, giving him the most bright and honest smile you could provide, at the given moment. "It's just. . . someone I care about fell ill, and she had to be sent to a hospital. I hope to see how she's doing tomorrow, though."

"Do you want to walk with us to our home?" Greg offered, noticing your worried features and doubtful tone of voice. "It can help you get your mind off things for a while."

"Well, if it isn't of much trouble, I'd be glad to."

Once that response left your lips, Greg and his son quickly took action by gesturing you to follow them. Shyly, you approached them, yet as you continued to walk next to them, you began to loosen up. You followed them all the way towards their home, in a search for both a distraction and enjoyment.

 

**~~~~~**

 

After a fifteen minute-long walk together, you were now standing in front of their home. Unlike yesterday, the environment was calm, and aside from the afro-haired woman resting her back against the front wall of the house, there wasn't anyone else close by.

You observed how peaceful everything was, and — as you did — you began to relax and regain your composure. In just a few minutes of arriving here, you were feeling much better, and your mind had stopped over-thinking as much, too.

While you exchanged some words with both Steven and Greg, the sound of a nearby door creaking open made for your gaze to shift away from the conversation, and for it be placed to a stop. You noticed that Pearl had been the one to exit their home, and she was currently heading your way. Her gaze was focused and observant, and it made you wonder just what was going through her mind.

As she walked forward and went down the stairs, she received a quick thumbs up from Garnet, and afterwards, a loud voice boomed from inside the home saying ' _Go for it, P!'_

Curious as to what the woman was going to do, you kept silent and waited for her to continue walking forward. The moment she arrived closer to your side, you noticed how her blue eyes carried a strange glow over them. She seemed to have something settled in her mind, whereas her gaze showed an emotion similar to that of understanding.

Finally, she came to a stop, now standing a mere two feet away from you. She slowly began to extend her hand, as a gentle, somewhat warm smile began to appear over her pale features. Her posture was firm, and the look she was directing towards you showed that she was determined to speak, or rather,  _share_  a moment with you.

"__________. . . Would you care to share a dance with me?" Pearl offered, as her hand stood before you — patiently in wait for your response.


	12. Like A Gem

You accepted her offer with an amiable smile as you reached out for her outstretched hand. Once you took firm hold of it, she began to lead you towards the ocean, stopping the moment you were two steps away from the water. She let go of your hand, now centering her gaze over a nearby radio that was resting on the sandy floor. Her hand carefully reached out for it, and — once her fingers were close enough to the radio — she pressed the play button, thus making the dance begin.

Expecting some sort of calm dance such as a waltz, you were taken aback when the song came to a start. The song was rather theatrical and upbeat, and the way the violins were played made you feel as if you were on a ballroom dance. Not knowing how to respond to this, you glanced a quizzical look at Pearl.

Quickly, she met with your gaze and reached out for both of your hands. She interlocked one hand with yours while the other hesitantly made its way to your waist. Catching on as to what pose you were to dance in, you placed your free hand over the arm that held onto your waist and waited for her to continue on.

She began by giving short, quick side-steps to the left, and later repeated those steps towards the right. Once you caught on, you both began to move rapidly from right to left and — as the music picked up its pace — your steps became faster and more dramatic to those who were witnessing this dance.

Suddenly, she let go of your waist and twirled you around, leaving you dumbfounded over the swift move she executed. She quickly repeated the move again, this time to the opposite direction, leaving you unable to take in what’d just occurred.

Now that you were beginning to dance with more freedom, she again returned her hand over your waist as she pulled you around the sandy floor in quick, constant circles, similar to that of a classical tango move. She took a short pause and returned to performing side-steps from left to right, seeing as she didn't want for you to become dizzied.

You soon became lost in the moment and you felt how something began to ignite within your chest. It was a placid feeling, and — now — you were dancing without giving much thought to the situation. Both your mind and body felt free, making you desire that this moment lasted a bit longer for you to enjoy it.

Finally, the song came to an end.

Pearl waited until the last musical note faded away to let go of you. She flashed you a bright, somewhat excited smile as she gently began to let go of both your hand and waist. You returned the smile, though your mind was currently somewhere else. For a moment, you began to feel strange, as if some sort of magical manifestation was about to take place between you and her.

"Thank you. . ." You muttered in a calm, almost inaudible tone, whilst making eye contact with her ocean blue eyes. "This was a wonderful experience."

The woman smiled again, tucking a short, stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were lightly tinted blue and her eyes were almost as bright as the sun.

Unable to make any words leave her lips, she could only nod softly in response. Her mind was brimming with a diversity of thoughts, and she didn't know which one to follow.

You both stood looking at one another, with only the ghostly sound of the strong winds being present to your ears. The area fell completely silent, while the ones who'd witnessed the event could only continue to observe the two of you together.

Garnet was trying to hide her smile, whereas Amethyst — who'd now exited the home — carried a full-toothed smile present over her purple features. Greg looked away after a while, thinking this was just too much of an intimate moment for him to continue on watching. The joyous child next to him, however, was smiling brightly, and he was trying his best to not yell out a compliment towards the two of you.


	13. Your Goodbye

Today was your final day on Beach City and, much to your luck, it hadn't begun well.

After the dance with Pearl, Greg invited you to stay over for dinner, which you quite reluctantly accepted. You didn't want to stay any longer, and much less did you desire to bother them. Even so, you ended up inside their home, eating a 'Together Dinner' courtesy of both Steven and Amethyst.

As a result, you ended up returning to the hotel at midnight, and the distractions didn't stop there, for the hotel clerk had offered you a cup of coffee — just like the day you'd first met him. You ended up chatting with him for a full hour, with your topics varying from something as simple as the weather to something as complex as explaining the feelings you felt for the tall, copper-haired woman.

With such an eventful day, you ended up falling asleep at four in the morning and waking up at ten.

In a haste, you jumped out of bed and ran towards the bathroom. You stood in front of the mirror, and — as you were midway through washing your lethargic face — you noticed something odd through the reflection.

Your chest was still ornamented with the flower chain Steven had gifted you with, yet the gem residing in the middle of the flower seemed off. It had a peculiar glow emanating from it, and — once your hand made contact with it — you felt a strange, warm feeling take over your chest. It felt similar to the sensation you experienced when you'd finalized dancing with Pearl.

You were about to remove the necklace, looking to inspect it more closely, yet once you took notice of the late hour, you quickly shook off the curiosity resting in your mind.

Your morning routine went by in the blink of an eye, and now, you stood outside the hotel's premises. The boat was to make its arrival in just six hours, and you wanted to enjoy these last moments as best as it was possible.

"I can't believe I've met this many people. . ." You mumbled, currently holding your phone in your hand and scrolling through the list of contacts.

Three new people had been added to your list: Hotel Guy — since he refused to give you his real name, saying it was to keep the mystery alive — Greg, and Garnet. All three of them had given you their numbers yesterday, seeing as you would eventually take your leave and you would hardly ever meet with them again, in person, at least.

Not only did you obtain three new contacts, but you also managed to form some remarkable acquaintanceships with the remaining four women that were seemingly in charge of taking care of Steven. Though you had to admit it was strange to see so many caretakers in one home, you appreciated the welcoming feeling they all brought when together.

"Hey!" A nasally-voiced exclaimed, making you snap your gaze away from the phone's screen.

Looking towards the direction of the voice, you spotted Peridot standing just two feet away from you. She was observing you with bright, sparkling eyes and with a wide, full-toothed smile apparent over her face. You waved in response to her greeting, and once doing so, she took lead of the conversation.

"Here — I wanted to give you this before you left in your water-resistant transportation!" She happily explained, handing you a small, rolled-up piece of paper. "You mustn't open until you arrive at your home planet!"

"Oh. . . Well, thank you." You spoke, slightly taken aback by the new company you'd just received. "I'll keep it safe inside my bag, then."

"What's your home like?" The green-toned woman suddenly inquired, as she faced you with expectant eyes. "What are things like at (country)?"

"It's a pretty good place. . . I've managed to make a few good friends there." You responded, thinking back on the frantic call you'd received from your boss's mother. "Though it has its faults, I like the life I've been able to form there along these years."

Peridot listened intently at your words, nodding in an appreciative manner throughout your speech. Then, a thought crossed her mind, and she surfaced it once you were finished speaking.

"What about this location? Do you consider it to be a pleasant place to stay in?"

"Yeah. . ." You trailed off, permitting for a warm smile to creep over your face. "I've enjoyed my stay here thus far."

Having heard those words, Peridot's faced lightened up as a hint of excitement slowly became visible over her features. She seemed to carry the urge of asking you something else, yet — as you were about to encourage her — she reached out for your arm. Gently, she took hold of your wrist, having taken notice of your confused expression.

"Follow me! I have something I want to show you before you go." The short woman explained, leading you to nod in slight bewilderment.

She began to walk towards the ocean's border, while your mind could only wonder over just what she desired to show you before you took your leave. You followed her closely behind, occasionally being tugged by your arm in what seemed to be anticipation.

You came to a stop right in front of the ocean's waves. Your sandaled feet were now wrapped in cold, humid sand and the wind caused for your tied-up hair to be all over the place.

You stood in silent wait for Peridot's next action whilst she looked around her, seemingly in search for something important. After assuming that what she wished to show you was yet to arrive, you focused your gaze on the sky, thus taking in the scenery one last time.

"Uh. . ." Peridot spoke, noticing that the wait was taking somewhat longer than expected. "Seeing as the others are having a delay. . . I'd like to ask you something."

"Oh. . .? Sure." You responded to her words, now meeting with her gaze. "What would you like to know?"

"Is there a reason as to why your necklace won't cease its glow?" She interrogated, pointing with her lime-green pointer finger at your chest — where the flower necklace was resting at.

"What?" You mumbled, quickly looking down at your torso.

Having done so, you noticed the flower necklace was indeed continuing with its glow.

You gently placed your fingers over it, and felt how a strange, faint heat emanated from the gem it possessed in its center. It seemed to get hotter the more you held on to it, which caused for a plethora of questions to surface over your mind.

Suddenly, however, your attentive observation was placed on a stop, as a faint call of your name reached your ears. You quickly lifted your gaze towards where you'd heard the voice, and searched around to see who'd been the one to call you.


	14. Her Farewell

After a few more minutes of waiting, what Peridot had told you to stay here for finally arrived.

The one who called your name was one of the reasons why she had made you wait.

Amethyst, who'd been the one to shout your name, was now walking towards you with the company of six more people. She urged for them to hurry with their steps, whilst Peridot grabbed your attention once more by speaking up.

"I made invitations for everyone to gather here!" Peridot explained, placing both of her hands over her hips, in what appeared to be pride. "With some. . . _research_ , I was able to speak with everyone that you've become acquainted with here."

The green-haired lady took a short pause as she glanced a look back at all the people that gathered at the beach's border. They were all smiling happily at the scene displayed before them; they waited for Peridot to finish with her eager explanations.

"They all agreed on gathering at this beach after I told them when you would be returning back to your home." She took another pause, this time allowing for a warm smile to appear over her face. "I. . . I figured you'd appreciate their company!"

The friendly group of people now stood in front of you, whereas you took a quick glance behind you. With the time you'd spent in wait for their arrival, the hours you had remaining flew by and your transportation had finally arrived. Your boat ride back home was to leave in just forty minutes, yet you were halted by them, for they desired to give you one last goodbye.

Greg and his son decided to wave their goodbyes at you, whereas the well-known hotel guy gave you a quick, yet amiable hug in response to your departure. Peridot, Amethyst, and Lazuli were smiling towards you in an encouraging manner, with Garnet standing close to their side.

The afro-haired woman seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, which led for her to not take notice of the farewells everyone was directing at you.

After exchanging a few words and well wishes with the crowd in front of you, your attention was brought to the boat's horn ringing in your ears. It had blown twice, signaling that it was soon to take its leave. Taking notice of this, the last one to take action over your leave was Pearl, as she began to take small steps closer towards you.

She had an odd smile visible over her pale features and her eyes were glazed with worry. It was as if she feared this would be an eternal goodbye — as if things wouldn't result in your favor once you returned back home.

"Please, do take care on your way home, ________." Pearl began, as she placed a hand over your shoulder with caution. "It's been a pleasure to spend time with you. . . And I strongly hope that this isn't out last goodbye."

"Thank you. . ." You mumbled, unable to make any more words from leaving your lips.

You stared at her in silence, your gaze slowly shifting back towards the group of people standing behind her. They were looking at the scene before them with hopeful, somewhat expectant eyes, which caused for a smile to appear over your face.

You didn't think it was possible to meet with this many people in just five days of your visit here, and that you would become acquainted with them this much, either.

As you were about to speak up again, the woman in front of you pulled you into a sudden hug. Her left hand slowly made its to your lower back, while the other one held onto the back of your neck. Her chin rested calmly over the top of your hair — mainly due to her height — and you soon found yourself frozen in place.

Her hug lasted a few long seconds, until you were finally able to return the embrace she'd given you. Unlike her hold, yours was completely hesitant, and — if it weren't for your hair tickling at her arms —, she wouldn't have noticed your proximity. Your touch was gentle — too gentle, in fact.

After you both let each other free from the hug, you faced one another.

Her eyes and smile were filled with warmth, whereas your eyes were as big as the moon and your cheeks were as hot as lighted charcoal.

You hadn't expected for her to take such an action – rather, if either one of you were to ever take an advancement, you thought it would be yourself. With the five days in which you'd gotten to know her, you saw her as a reserved, somewhat selective woman, of whom it would be tough to get to open up.

Now that your views were proven wrong for a second time — with the first one being the dance you'd both shared at Steven's home — you greatly desired to learn more about her. 

You wished to stay longer at this place and to gain more knowledge about everyone you'd gotten to speak with, yet that wouldn't be possible to do until you finished your duties that waited at home. With that thought in mind, you allowed for your heart and mind to relax and for your wishes to die down.

"It was lovely to meet with you all. . . If you really do accept the idea of me keeping contact with you. . . Then, I'll be sure to do that!" You proclaimed, responding to their earlier question about whether you would keep in touch with them every once in a while, or if you would not.

You began to climb up the vehicle that would take you back home. Your steps were currently cautious and slow, for you wanted to wave your goodbyes at them one final time.

"Goodbye!"

Once you reached the safety of the boat, you continuously waved at them from the front borders while your free hand held onto the frigid, metal rails for support. They all waved back at you with an equal amount of eagerness, and — finally — with the boat's ear-deafening horns resonating over everyone's ears, you began to sail away. 

Their figures became smaller to your sight as the vehicle sailed further into the ocean. You continued to smile at them until they were no longer visible to your sight. Now left alone with a few more tourists and the conductor of the boat, you heaved out a sigh — in what you labeled as melancholy.

This was truly happening.

You were no longer living with them at Beach City.

You were no longer a tourist on their breathtaking lands.

You were no longer to meet with them each time you ventured out of the hotel.

The further the boat sailed away from Beach City, the more you understood the reason as to why everyone had gathered up at the beach to see you off.


	15. Gleaming

Six hours had already passed since your departure, and — currently — you were sitting on a beach chair, with the paper Peridot had earlier given you resting in your hands. She'd told you to open it once you arrived home, and you wondered if it already was a good time to do so.

With curiosity taking the best of you, your hand began to unwrap the paper as you fought with the strong winds to keep it in your grasp.

After you finished opening it, you spotted various words and doodles scribbled over it.

One thing that instantly caught your eye was a phone number, whilst the other one was a messy sketch of what you assumed was Peridot's face. The number had the words ' _Pearl's_ ' written over it, which led you to assume this was her phone number. Now focusing on the small drawing of Perido ‘s face next to it, you noticed a few small, almost invisible words written below it.

 _”Turn_ _this_ _page_ _around!_ _"_ , it read.

You did as told and came across another page. It‘d gotten strongly stuck to the other one, and — if it weren't for these instructions — you would've most likely never discovered it in your own accord.

The second page had more words over it, this time managing to form a letter.

Once looking at your surroundings to see if no one was looking, you began to read the words in your head.

 _"Greetings, ________. I was going to begin this letter with a 'Good morning', yet I realized by the time you open this letter, it most likely might not be that time."_ You paused with the read and took a moment to look at the time displayed on your phone's screen.

It was already evening — five o' clock, to be exact, which made for an amused smile to appear over your face as you continued to read on.

 _"It appears that Pearl desired to give you the phone number displayed over the previous page, yet she_ _requested_ _that_ _I_ _gave_   _it_ _to_ _you_ _instead_ _._ _The_ _reason_ _as_ _to_ _why_ _she_ _chose_ _to_ _do_ _this_ _remains_ _uncertain_ _,_ _though_ _she_ _did_ _seem_ _hesitant_ _when_ _giving_ _the_ _paper_ _to_ _me_ _,_ _and_ _her_ _face_ _showed_ _what_ _appeared_ _to_ _be_ _embarrassment_ _._ _I_ _assume_ _she_ _wants_ _you_ _to_ _contact_ _her_ _one_ _day_ _,_ _as_ _that_ _is_ _what_ _Steven_ _explained_ _to_ _me_ _."_

You took another pause.

You could feel how a faint warmth spread over your cheeks and across the back of your neck. Your curious mind wandered over this passage, yet you tried to focus on the rest of the letter before letting you thoughts take over.

 _"_ _Aside_ _from_ _that_ _,_ _I would_ _like_ _to_ _give_ _you_ _a_ _quick_ _goodbye_ _._ _It_ _seems_ _time_ _passes_ _by_ _quite_ _fast_ _here_ _on_ _Earth_ _._ _I_ _didn't_ _think_ _you would_ _be_ _leaving_ _as_ _quickly_ _as_ _you_ _did_ _._ _However_ _,_ _if_ _you_   _are ever_   _to_ _return_ _or_ _contact_ _any_ _of_ _your_ _acquaintances_ _,_ _I_ _hope_ _you_ _feel_ _welcomed_ _and_ _that_ _you're_ _able_ _to_ _enjoy_ _yourself, too._ _"_

The set of paragraphs had reached its end, the word _'Farewell'_ scribbled at the bottom right corner of the letter.

Next to Peridot's goodbye was Steven's signature; below it was an explanation for the signature summarized in one short sentence.

The sentence stated that Peridot asked for him to sign it as well, for he'd helped her with the composition of the letter.

You stayed still and silent after finishing with the reading, taking in all the things Peridot had written and all the emotions that surged within your chest. Your eyes and smile were bright with joy, and you soon began to reminiscence over various, past scenarios of you at Beach City along with their company. You were happy to have received the letter, as well as to have Pearl's phone number now — an idea which you though far-fetched until today.

With that thought in mind, you took out your phone once more, fumbling with its buttons as your mind debated over whether or not it was the right time to do this.

After a moment of hesitation, you began to pass the number into your phone, a somewhat melancholic sigh leaving your lips. It had admittedly been a long time since you last felt such a diverse mix of emotions in your chest, and you couldn't avoid the thoughts that invaded your mind.

As you closed your eyes in an attempt to calm your mind down, the previously faint warmth that resided in both your cheeks and chest began to grow stronger, with the feeling now becoming rather similar to touching the handles of a pot with boiling water.

With an abrupt movement — mainly due to the change in temperature — you stood up from the chair, the necklace you still carried over your neck suddenly falling down to the ground in response to your movements. You noticed how its glow was almost as bright as a light house, its brightness gradually settling down as you contemplated the scene with widened eyes and arched eyebrows. 

You didn't reach out for it until you were sure that its temperature cooled off. Your mind, on the other hand, began to form questions over the events that'd just transpired and the few people present around the boat gave odd looks towards you.


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for “Something Entirely New”!
> 
> Though I’m still very much a rookie when it comes to editing, passing this story from Wattpad onto this site helped fix quite a few things in regards of grammar, fluidity, and — my arch nemesis — punctuation.
> 
> Anyways. . . I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading until here!

Six months had already passed since the day you left Beach City. Along the course of those months, you made your boss company by visiting her every weekend at the hospital. She had a stable, though worrisome recovery, for there were times in which her fever turned out to be too much for her to handle. 

You'd been able to become closer with her and there were times — after she departed the hospital — in which you stayed at her home to keep her company. She truly felt like a mother to you, and it caught you off guard when she one day asked over the friends and acquaintances you'd managed to make at Beach City. She'd even questioned over _one_ person in particular, as she one day caught you talking with Pearl on the phone in a rather animated and nervous manner.

Once she brought this matter up, your embarrassment didn't hesitate to show on your face. You eventually explained to her about who Pearl was and how you'd gotten to meet her.

Besides caring for your now former photography manager, you were able to turn in various work assignments for your new boss. He was surprisingly patient yet strict, which were an undoubtedly good combination of traits to have for this job.

With the money you earned each month, you were able to save a small portion in an old shoe box.

Once full, the money inside it would be used for a visit to Beach City, something you were looking forward to on these recent days. Even though it'd been only half a year since you left, you were beginning to miss everyone more each day.

Today, as you placed a few dollar bills inside the shoe box, you noticed you were close to filling it completely.

Following your curiosity, you decided to take the money to your work table and begin counting it. You counted each one carefully, not wanting to make a mistake, and — as you were more than halfway through the box's contents — you noticed you were becoming closer to your goal.

"I — I'm almost done!" You stuttered over your words, excitement taking the best of you.

As much as you tried not to get your hopes up, it was pretty much impossible for you. The moment you began to think of all the things that awaited you there, you couldn't avoid feeling both enthusiastic and hopeful for your return.

With newfound determination, you stood up from the chair and slammed your hands over the desk. It was turning out to be just a little too much excitement for you to contain, and you had to get it out in some way.

Without waiting any longer, you opened the drawer next to you and took out both a pencil and paper out of it. You'd just received a creative spark and you weren't planning on wasting it.

The pencil quickly began to trace the silhouette of the idea you carried in mind, though you momentarily paused your work and glanced a look at the digital wall clock nearby — in order to verify just how much time there was left before the day came to an end.

There was still time, and you were intent on finishing this today.

After almost three hours of planning, erasing, and sketching, you were able to convey your ideas on paper.

You held the drawing in your hands as if it were a newborn child — or, rather, that cub from that one lion movie you watched when you were a kid. Then, you made your way towards your computer and prepared all the equipment you would need to contact one of your companions over at Beach City.

You first made sure the camera was turned on, afterwards clicking on 'AppWhats' and choosing the 'call' option set at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Your hands fumbled nervously with the pencil you still had in your hold and you shifted constantly in your seat as a few doubts began to surge over your mind.

It had been a long while since you had a conversation with Pearl, regarding the whole matter about you drawing her figure.

After you arrived back home and things calmed down, the topic of you being an artist somehow managed to surface again, yet her reaction was much different from what you were expecting.

You were surprised to hear her say she was flattered to have someone draw her and that she admired your abilities towards different kinds of art, the main two being photography and — of course — drawing.

You were expecting for her to be creeped out by your actions, for you _did_ used to be a stranger who'd somehow decided it would be a good idea to draw her.

 _"_ _Hello_ _?"_

You snapped away from your thoughts, noticing Pearl had finally managed to answer your call.

Lifting your gaze to match with the computer's screen, you saw her familiar face looking straight at you. She had a faint smile formed on her lips and her posture was rather awkward — as if she also had her doubts before answering the call.

"Hey!" You called out, waving your hand in a friendly demeanor.

Pearl returned the gesture without hesitation, her posture becoming more relaxed. She faced you with curious eyes, her mind wandering over the reasons as to why you could've called.

"Do you. . . Do you remember what we talked about the first week after I left Beach City?" You questioned, hoping this would be enough to make her past memories re-appear over her mind.

The copper-haired lady stood in silence for a short while, her eyes suddenly widening in surprise. With her memories finally making their appearance, she nodded her head in response to your question.

 _"_ _Is_ _there_ _something_ _you would_ _like_ _to_ _discuss_ _about_ _that_ _?"_

"Yes. . . I made something just now, and — Well, I thought I'd show it to you."

 _"_ _Oh_ _?_ _That_ _sounds_ _lovely_ _!_ _What_ _is_ _it_ _that_ _you would_ _like_ _to_ _show_ _me_ _?"_

With slightly trembling hands, you took the drawing that was resting next to your side and presented it over the camera. The pale woman's face became brighter as she witnessed the paper you'd set in front of the screen — a faint, azure blush slowly spreading across her cheeks.

She placed a hand over her cheek, a faint gasp in what seemed to be a mix of surprise and  disbelief escaping her lips. Words failed to exit her mouth, which led for a hint of worry to surface over your mind.

 _"_ _It's_ _beautiful_ _!"_ She exclaimed, finally snapping out of her light trance.

She took another moment to look at the drawing, her eyes focusing on each and every detail.

The drawing was of her wearing an attire different from her ballet-esque clothing. You'd drawn her in a pink summer dress, an outfit you'd once seen her wear during one of your on-line chats with her. Her pose was free and relaxed, and her eyes were closed in what appeared to be enjoyment.

On that particular day, she explained to you that she'd just concluded a beach day with Steven and the others. The boy insisted that they had to make a barbecue for summer time, and that led to her wearing something different than usual.

That day had provided you with a great deal of inspiration for your drawings, yet you'd never managed to get them on paper until today.

 _"_ _You_ _drew_ _this_ _just_ _now_ _,_ _then_ _?"_ She inquired, whilst you made contact with her gaze.

"I did! I kind of had a rush of inspiration just now. . . so I figured I could share it with you!" You began to explain, with a contained smile and tone of voice. "I, well, remembered you saying you wouldn't mind to see more drawings like the ones you saw over at Beach City."

 _"_ _Well_ _,_ _you_ _did_ _a_ _fantastic_ _job_ _!_ _I_ _can_ _see_ _quite_ _a_ _lot_ _of_ _improvement_ _solely_ _from this_ _drawing_ _."_

You both continued to converse for more than an hour, eventually receiving a short interruption from Steven, who wanted to see what Pearl had been up to. He waved at you from the other screen, though he left moments after to respect the privacy of both her and yourself.

Your topics with Pearl ranged from the well-being of your ex-boss to how everyone was managing by at her own home. It seemed time passed by like the speed of light, for it wasn't until you noticed the sun setting from across the window of her home that you realized evening was already leaving her location.

Not wanting to keep her away from her duties any longer, you were about to say your goodbyes, yet she managed to speak up first.

 _"_ _Now_ _that_ _we've_ _known_ _each_ _other_ _for_ _so_ _long. . ."_ She began, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Her pale cheeks were more noticeably flushed in blue now and her hesitant eyes drifted away from your gaze.

 _"_ _I would_ _like_ _to_ _confess_ _something_ _to_ _you_ _. . ._ _Though_ _,_ _considering_ _what_ _hour_ _it_ _is_ _now_ _,_ _I_ _would_ _have_ _to_ _shorten_ _these_ _words and_   _explain_ _them_ _to_ _you_ _with_ _more_ _clarity_ _another_ _day_ _. . . Would that_   _be alright_ _with_ _you_ _, __________?"_

"Of course!"

 _"_ _Well_ _. . . First of all, do_ _you_ _still_ _have_ _the_ _flower_ _chain_ _in_ _your_ _possession_ _?"_

"Yes — I do! I have it safe inside my bag."

 _"_ _Alright_ _. And do_   _you_ _still_ _remain_ _curious_ _over_ _why_ _it_ _had_ _a_ _sudden_ _increase_ _in_ _temperature_ _?"_

You nodded to her question, your eyes now glued to the screen before you.

 _"_ _I_ _see_ _. . ."_ She mumbled, letting out a sigh afterwards.  _"_ _Then_ _,_ _since_ _you've_ _stated_ _so,_ _I'd_ _like_ _to_ _confess_ _something_ _to_ _you:_ _I_ _am_ _not_ _exactly_ _. . ._ _from_ _this_ _planet_ _,_ _and_ _the_ _flower_ _you_ _still_ _have_ _with_ _you_ _isn't_ _native of this_ _place either_ _._ _You_ _seem_ _like_ _an_ _understanding_ _person_ _,_ _hence_ _why_ _I_ _would_ _one_ _day_ _like_ _to_ _explain_ _these matters_ _to_ _you_ _with_ _more_ _detail_ _— just_   _like_ _you_ _did_ _with_ _your_ _drawing_ _."_

Pearl took a long pause, a rather melancholic smile taking over her face.

She centered her curious eyes on you, wanting to see just what would your reaction be.

You, however, only offered her an encouraging smile and nodded for her to continue on with her speech.

 _"According to what_ _you_ _told me_ _,_ _the_ _temperature_ _of_ _the_ _flower_ _changed_ _when_ _you_ _and_ _I_ _danced_ _,_ _as_ _well_ _as_ _when_ _you_ _were_ _left_ _to_ _your_ _own_ _thoughts_ _."_ With another pause, her gaze became stern and her posture straightened up. _"_ _I_ _think_ _I_ _might_ _know_ _what_ _this_ _means_ _,_ _though_ _I_ _strongly_ _wish_ _to_ _tell_ _you_ _all_ _about_ _my_ _thoughts_ _in_ _person_ _._ _I_ _feel_ _this_ _is_ _a_ _much_ _more_ _important_ _matter_ _for us_ _to_ _discuss_ _,_ _and_ _it's_ _best_ _if_ _I_ _chose_ _to do this for the time being."_

Pearl took a quick glance at the window behind her, noticing just how dark the sky had become. She let out a thoughtful hum and returned back to facing the screen.

 _"_ _Anyhow_ _,_ _I_ _think_ _it's_ _best_ _if_ _I_ _concluded_ _things_ _here_ _. . . I'll_ _be_ _sure_ _to_ _speak_ _with_ _you_ _again_ _next_ _weekend_ _."_ She paused on her words — her usual, amiable smile returning over her features. _"_ _I_ _certainly do_ _hope_ _we_ _continue_ _to_ _further_ _our_ _relationship_ _._ _It's_ _been_ _rather_ _pleasant_ _to_ _spend_ _time_ _with_ _you_ _."_

"Good — Goodbye, then! I hope to see you soon!" You dismissed, a hint of hesitation present in your words.

You were still trying to take in everything she'd confessed as you waved at the computer's camera, allowing for Pearl to see through her own device.

 _"Be careful out there!"_ Pearl called out one final time, right before you pressed the 'off' button of your camera.

"You too!"

With that final statement, the screen went black, as the image of Pearl sitting in front of her computer's desk was no longer displayed before your wandering eyes.

It felt strange each time this happened.

Each time you both said your goodbyes and her presence was no longer in front of you, there was empty feeling that managed to linger over your room.

Letting out a melancholic sigh, you stood up from your chair, later focusing your attention at the calendar hung next to the light switch of a nearby wall. 

You flipped past a couple of months and — soon enough — your eyes caught sight of the little note you'd written a while ago.

'Beach City Visit', you'd managed to write out, with a bright red circle cornering the letters to create emphasis over that event.

There were still a couple of months left before you returned for a visit back at their place and a few more dollars left to save before you bought the tickets for your required transport, yet the more you anticipated it the more impatient you became.

Oddly enough, time now seemed to pass by about as slowly as the ship's departure, allowing for you to imagine what the future could possibly have in store for you.


End file.
